Hobo (oz6987)

About this Plan

Hobo. Free flight model, for Arden power. From 1949 FM.

Quote: "A Canadian Class A free-fighter, featuring an unusual slow-glide airfoil. It's light in weight, easy to build, and well worth the time needed for construction. Hobo, by Bruce Lester.

This is an unusual model, as you soon will gather. The idea for its design was conceived while watching a 300-square-inch rubber-powered job float lazily around on ground risers one late spring afternoon. Someone suggested that an Arden might do just as well in getting it upstairs. So, with a few modifications, our Hobo was born.

Of particular note is the pleasing wing planform - a type similar to those used in many current European high-performance glider designs. The bulk of the area is carried out in a constant chord inboard and a nicely shaped tip completes the picture. This gives our model a distinctive and identifying appearance, both on the ground and in the air.

Another development in connection with the wing is the 'slow-glide' airfoil used. Inspired by magazine articles on the boundary layer and turbulence wire idea, we never got around to doing much about the matter until we were being checked out in a full scale Schweizer TG type glider and noted the very blunt entry of the leading edge, as viewed from the pilot's seat. Right then and there we decided to try the idea on a model some day, and the results have been very good.

By now you will realize that Hobo is a form of powered glider. The wing loading is 3-1/2 ounces per 100 square inches of wing area. Using carefully selected wood, the model should weigh in at 10 to 11 ounces, which is considerably lighter than a rubber-powered counterpart would have to weigh. Naturally a dethermalizer is a 'must', to discourage our model's wandering habits - it was not dubbed 'Hobo' without just cause!

Fuselage: Study the side and top view plans first, then proceed to scale up a rough outline for the side frame assembly (shown half-size on the plans). You'll find the Warren Truss idea a welcome innovation from the regular method of uprights, one which produces a much stronger and tougher fuselage.

Start building one of the side frames, laying down a full-length bottom longeron. Then lay a firm piece of 1/8 x 3/8 balsa along under the wing, slightly longer than needed. Lay the rearward portion of the top longeron next, then cut a curved piece to fit at the front..."

Thanks David Terrell for the article.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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